Sattahip monks busted for drugs, porn

Two Sattahip monks were arrested and disgraced after being arrested for using drugs and pornography.

District Chief Phawat Lertmukda and officers from the Sattahip Command Centre for Drug Elimination arrested Sirichai Rattanawikol, 24, and Mongkol Chontumdee, 44, June 14 at Wat Tao Than in Sattahip.

Their arrest came after police arrested two Khao Mhon drug gang members. During their interrogation, one of the dealers’ phone rang and Sirichai was on the other end. Police had the two dealers set up a drug buy where police nabbed the monk for trying to buy six methamphetamine tablets for 1,800 baht.

Sirichai Rattanawikol and Mongkol Chontumdee have been defrocked and arrested for using drugs and pornography.

Mongkol, his uncle, was arrested shortly after as two of the pills allegedly were for him.

Upon questioning, Mongkol told police he’d been ordained for a year while his nephew only donned the robes a month ago. He claimed he’d been doing drugs and watching porn, but justified the narcotics use by saying it helped him meditate longer, police said.

The temple’s abbot defrocked the monks before they were led off to jail.